Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup Recipe (2024)

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Few things are as soothing and comforting as a bowl of homemade chicken soup. With garlic, ginger, and turmeric, this Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup recipe can help you warm up and feel better when you are feeling under the weather!

This soup truly is amazing, in so many ways. First of all, your entire family will love this simple paleo soup. It’s kid-approved and even picky eaters love it!

My kids gobble up this nourishing meal and ask for more, every time—even though it’s filled with vegetables. 😉

this idea now...

You don’t need to wait until you’re sick to make this one. There are just some days when I’m in the mood for chicken soup, and this is my go-to recipe every single time!

It’s fairly quick and easy too; you can have dinner ready within an hour (or even less if your chicken is already cooked).

Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup Recipe (2)

Hearty Paleo Soup

This paleo chicken soup recipe has a lot of yummy, good-for-you ingredients. But let’s take a minute to talk about what this soup doesn’t have.

My soup recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free! This means it can be enjoyed by almost anyone.

This paleo chicken soup also has an amazing combination of spices and vegetables. It’s a wonderful way to get nutrients into your family’s diet.

Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup Recipe (3)

A Twist on a Classic Staple

I grew up with the canned chicken soup as our “sick food” and never really liked it. Those squishy noodles and tiny chunks of flavorless chicken are really kinda gross when you think about it. For years, I avoided chicken soup because of that.

Then my best friend introduced me to her family’s chicken soup recipe. She’s Filipino and includes some of her favorite spices and flavors in her soup, like soy sauce and extra extragarlic. She has no hesitation about putting two whole bulbs of garlic in her soup!

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Now me? When I met Allie, I had never used real garlic, only garlic powder. Needless to say, Allie fixed that quickly and I now love garlic almost as much as her.

Anyways, when Allie made her chicken soup for me a couple of years ago, I was amazed at how incredibly delicious it was. She gave me the recipe and I’ve made it many times since.

But when I had to cut out grains and soy from our diet a few months ago, I knew I had to rework that chicken soup recipe to fit. I wanted something that would incorporate my friend’s flavorful recipe, but stay true to what we could eat.

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After two+ months of testing, this is the result – a chicken soup that is so good and so nourishing, we call it Nourishing Chicken Soup.

And just to prove how good it is, all four of my kids gobble up this soup and ask for more, even after eating it once or twice a week for several weeks while I’ve been perfecting the recipe!

Ingredients in This Paleo Chicken Soup

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This soup is delicious thanks to the addition of simmered vegetables and spices coupled with chunks of flavorful chicken. Some of the ingredients in this paleo soup are:

  • Chicken. I recommend purchasing organic chicken when you can. For this recipe, you can use white meat, dark meat, or even add a whole chicken!
  • Organic Chicken Broth or Bone Broth Again, I highly recommend purchasing organic broth if you can – you may be surprised to see how many additives are in the non-organic versions!
  • Vegetables.This paleo soup recipe calls for several different vegetables including onion, celery, carrots, and cauliflower. These veggies will keep your soup filled with fiber, minerals, and other nutrients.
  • Herbs and spices.Remember what I said about Allie showing me how to make a soup flavorful? This is where all of that comes into play! This hearty chicken soup has a fantastic blend of spices and herbs that will make this the best soup you’ve ever tried.

The Importance of Garlic

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Garlic is essential in this Nourishing Chicken Soup recipe, not only because it adds to the flavor profile, but because it has tons of nutrients.

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Either way, when you combine all of that with chicken, vegetables, and a few choice herbs and spices, you have a powerhouse meal that is nourishing for your whole family.

Enjoy!

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Nourishing Chicken Soup

Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup Recipe (9)

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★★★★★4.9 from 41 reviews

This easy family-favorite chicken soup is packed with ingredients and nutrients that are both nourishing, warming, and delicious!

  • Author: Erika Bragdon
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
  • Category: soup
  • Method: cook
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale

  • 23 lb chicken thighs, breast, or a whole chicken
  • 4 cups organic chicken broth
  • 6 cups water
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 34 cups carrots, chopped
  • 23 cups celery, chopped
  • 68 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1/2 Tbsp basil
  • 1/2 Tbsp parsley
  • 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt, more or less to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, more or less to taste

Instructions

  1. Fill a large pot with water. Add the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until fully cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
  2. While the chicken is cooking, you can cut up the vegetables.
  3. Add the broth and 6 cups of the water the chicken was cooked into a large stock pot. Add the onions, ginger, carrots, celery, garlic, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes.
  4. While the broth and vegetables are cooking, cut up the cauliflower and pulse several times in a food processor until it resembles grains of rice. If you don’t have a food processor, you can just cut it up into small pieces.
  5. Shred the chicken and add the chicken and diced cauliflower to the pot, along with the remaining ingredients: fish sauce, basil, parsley, coconut aminos, sea salt, and pepper.
  6. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Keywords: soup, chicken soup, herbs

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Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes chicken soup so healthy? ›

Chicken broth, a clear liquid, counts towards your hydration goals. Nutritionally, it's rich in essential fatty acids and protein. Essential fatty acids, which the body cannot make on its own and which must come from the foods we eat, are a source of energy and major components of cell membrane structure.

Why does Grandma's chicken soup work when you are sick? ›

Compared with hot water alone, studies show chicken soup is more effective at loosening mucus. The herbs and spices sometimes used in chicken soup, such as pepper and garlic, also loosen mucus. The broth, which contains water and electrolytes, helps with rehydration.

Why is chicken soup anti-inflammatory? ›

Renard et al. (2000) found that chicken soup inhibited the migration of neutrophils, thus showing anti-inflammatory activity.

How to make can chicken soup taste better? ›

Herbs: Fresh chives, thyme, or cilantro stirred in just before serving. Spices: Your soup is probably salty enough, but what about simmering a bay leaf in there for a while (don't forget to remove it before serving)? Depending on the soup's flavor profile, you could shake in some cumin or red pepper flakes.

Is it healthy to eat homemade chicken soup everyday? ›

Known to all, chicken is considered to be a great source of protein and amino acids that are really good for the growth of muscles and other tissues. Hence, a bowl of chicken soup can be a great addition in your daily diet.

What is the healthiest soup to eat why? ›

Vegetable soup is one of the best soups to eat. Vegetable soup is made with potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans and green peas. The combined nutrition of each vegetable adds a great number of vitamins and minerals to your diet. Potatoes are a good source of potassium and carrots provide beta carotene.

Is chicken soup good for weight loss? ›

Clear chicken soup also has the goodness of protein in it, due to the presence of chicken. Protein further helps in achieving desired weight loss goals by inducing a feeling of satiety, which saves you from overeating and bingeing on other fattening foods.

How healthy is homemade chicken soup? ›

Rich in nutrients

The chicken itself delivers protein, which is an important nutrient for satisfaction, immunity and your muscles. Chicken also delivers zinc, a key immunity nutrient. Most chicken soup recipes starts with onion, carrots, celery; but any vegetables you add will deliver fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Why do doctors recommend eating soup when we are sick? ›

Even the warmth of chicken soup can help. Drinking the liquid and inhaling the vapors increase the temperature of nasal and respiratory passages, which loosens the thick mucus that often accompanies respiratory illnesses. Compared with hot water alone, studies show chicken soup is more effective at loosening mucus.

What is the disadvantage of chicken soup? ›

Chicken noodle soup

However, canned versions tend to be very high in sodium, which is a risk factor for high blood pressure in people sensitive to dietary salt ( 13 ). For example, a 1-cup (106-gram) serving of canned chicken noodle soup may provide up to 80% of the recommended daily intake for sodium ( 24 , 25 ).

Why do I feel better after eating chicken noodle soup? ›

Chicken is also high in tryptophan, which helps your body produce serotonin that can enhance your mood and give you the feeling of 'comfort' that helps make chicken noodle soup a true comfort food,” Allonen says.

What is a good anti-inflammatory drink? ›

But, if you'd rather avoid a blender, teas, such as green, black, chamomile, slippery elm, hibiscus, and ginger turmeric tea, are soothing options. Alternative sources of inflammation-fighting power include kombucha, coffee, bone broth, and beet juice.

Does chicken soup taste better the longer you cook it? ›

While broth and stock both get richer and richer the longer you cook them, the problem is that the chicken meat will dry out and get tough if you let it go too long.

How do I add flavor to bland chicken soup? ›

Add herbs and spices.

"Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says. As a general rule, use fresh herbs at or near the end of cooking and dried herbs and spices early on.

Is chicken soup healthy or not? ›

This soup is rich in nutrients which helps strengthen the bones. For those who don't know, Chicken Soup is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. It also helps in relieving arthritis pain.

Which part of chicken is healthiest for soup? ›

The Best Chicken for Chicken Soup:

We prefer using a whole chicken in this soup. Chicken bones contain a lot of collagen, and the skin adds fat and flavor to the stock. If you opt for using chicken breasts or thighs instead, make sure you use bone-in, skin-on pieces.

What makes homemade soup healthier? ›

7 smart tips for making a healthy soup

Use more vegetables in your soup than meats or grains. Add fresh herbs at the very end of cooking. Add milk to stocks to make a creamy soup. Add it after the vegetables are soft cooked.

Why do people make chicken soup when sick? ›

Chicken is especially rich in a compound called carnosine, and it's this that studies suggest helps reduce that stuffy, congested feeling in your nose and throat. It's thought that carnosine minimises inflammation in the upper respiratory tract by stopping the migration of white blood cells.

References

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